Tag Archives: cloud computing round up

Each week we scour the internet to find the best stories on technology, digital living and news of note. This week features a shirt that cleans itself, a bigger Kindle Fire, and a keyboard for people prone to spilling drinks. All that and more in this edition of Mozy’s Technically Speaking.

How to Build a Movie Theater in Your Backyard Without Going Broke

With the warmer weather rolling around, wouldn’t it be nice to have an open-air movie theater in the backyard? The idea seems a little far-fetched for those without deep pockets, but with the right hardware it’s probably less expensive than many people would think. Rick Broida of CNET explains how an outdoor cinema can be created for about $1000. Components needed for the setups include a projector (approximately $700), a blue-ray player ($40-$50), a screen (around $170), and a sound system (around $200). Many of the items can be found for less (especially if purchased used or refurbished ones) and some can even be built.

New Kindle Fire will Have 10-Inch Screen

Amazon is preparing a new Kindle Fire that will be 10 inches, increasing more than an inch in size from last year’s 8.9 inch model, says Brandon Russell of TechnoBuffalo. Other features will include a 2,560 x 1,600 resolution screen, and an affordable price tag. The device is expected to help Amazon continue to compete in the tablet market with big guns like Apple and Nexus. Amazon also plans to release newer versions of its 7-inch and 8.9-inch models.

Logitech Creates iPad Keyboard Folio that Protects Against Spills

Attention spillers: Logitech has created a new keyboard folio that may protect your iPad from your clumsiness. Engadget reports that the company’s new FabricSkin model has a liquid-repellent coating.The Bluetooth keyboard also doesn’t have any openings, meaning no liquid can get inside. The product, which costs $149, is set to be released this month and can be pre-ordered on the Logitech website.

The World’s First Curved OLED Television is Here

LG has created the world’s first 55-inch OLED television which is designed to bring ”IMAX-like” experience, with the entire screen surface being equally distant from the viewer’s eyes. The television is currently available for pre-order in South Korea and should be available in other markets in “the months ahead”, according to Mashable’s Stan Schroeder The TV is 4.3 0.17 inches thin, and weights just over 37 pounds. It features LG’s WRGB and Color Refiner technologies, and its clear stand doubles as speakers due to its baked-in transparent film speakers. The current price in South Korea is 15 million KRW, roughly $13,500, but prices have yet to be announced for other markets.

Never Do Laundry Again; The Shirt that Cleans Itself

An entrepreneur has come up with a button-down shirt that never wrinkles and stays odor free–so it can be worn over and over without being washed. The “better button-down” is made of wool that’s three times thinned than a human hair, CNET reports. The founder claims that the thin wool makes the shirts extra resistant to moisture. So far on Kickstarter the shirt has been a huge success, as $290,000 has been raised in just over a week.

How Small Businesses and Local Authorities Benefit from Cloud Computing

A bright idea has emerged from a small Italian local public authority, the Asolo Ulss, near Venice. This public health company produced a charter, the Castelfranco, which provides a set of recommendations to help public authorities adopt cloud computing. The idea, launched in an international conference tour, is simple yet useful to promote cloud computing adoption, and could also apply to private companies willing to take up the technology.

The most relevant economic benefit of cloud computing is associated with a reduction of the fixed costs of entry and production by shifting fixed capital expenditure from IT into operational costs depending on the size of demand and production. This contributes to reducing the barriers to entry, especially for small businesses.

Some of the charter’s recommendations include:

• Operate on a redundant broadband network, for the connection between the company, the customers and the service providers.

• Ensure “private cloud” usability as a preliminary step before agreeing to switch to a “public cloud.”

Apple’s new iPad may be the top attention-getter since its arrival last month, but the Asus Eee Pad Transformer Prime is earning a respectable amount of tablet buzz. As the tablet wars continue, Apple hopes to stay ahead of the competition while Android-based rivals such as the Transformer Prime are doing their best to grab techies’ hearts and minds. Many are eagerly debating which reigns supreme.Computerworld recently put the latest iPad up against the Transformer Prime, and the results may surprise you. Computerworld commenter John Faur noted: “I have the Prime and I love it, aside from the random reboots which they are working on. I waited till the release of the iPad 3 and decided to go with the Asus. I too am a Mac guy and love my 27″ iMac but i think the Android devices are more versatile.”

Their findings, which used mobile technology and software to track smokers as they tried to quit, offered insights into why some tobacco smokers quit the habit on the first try while others have to quit repeatedly, or never succeed. The study, published this month in Prevention Science, “demonstrates the potential for technology to help us figure out the processes involved in withdrawal,” said Stephanie Lanza, scientific director of The Methodology Center at Penn State and a lead author on the study.